Tasman hopping driver Anthony Butt teams with Make Way at Penrith on Thursday night. PHOTO: Michael McInally.
Quick jaunt to NZ today before Ants and Make Way shoot for hat-trick at Penrith
By Barry Lichter • 6 November 2019
Addington today, Penrith tomorrow - top driver Anthony Butt’s diary makes tiring reading.
But the Sydney horseman shrugs off the schedule as harness racing hots up leading in to cup week.
Butt has made a fleeting trip to Christchurch to get the feel of Line Up and Tough Monarch at today’s cup trials, prior to driving them on Tuesday in the Sires’ Stakes Final and NZ Trotting Free-for-all.
But he’s on a plane back to Australia straight away tonight as he and partner Sonya Smith have Lincoln Farms’ emerging talent Make Way entered at Penrith tomorrow night.
Make Way drops into a 2125 metre mobile at Penrith in a field devoid of much form that Butt describes as ideal to just keep him ticking over before his big battles later in the season.
With two impressive wins so far this season, and a good front line draw, the colt is sure to touch a short price even though six of his eight rivals have a higher national rating.
“It certainly looks a good race for him,” says Butt. “We want to look after him for as long as we can before we throw him in the deep end. And as he goes up in the grades it won’t be easy finding races away from the big stuff.”
Make Way, pictured winning the Redcliffe Derby, should lead from four on Thursday night. PHOTO: Michael McInally.Thursday night’s A$6630 event looks a walk in the park for Make Way who put away a much stronger field last time at Menangle, rating 1:57.2 for the 2300 metres.
Butt produced a copybook drive that day to clinch the win from the outside of the arm and from four here should easily get the top.
From there it should be a procession as the colt has good form on the country circuit with two wins, a second and a third from four starts.
“We know he handles the track and it will be a good stepping stone for him.
“We were going to wait for a race at Bankstown on November 22 but it would have been four weeks between runs and he came through that last run so well.”
Butt knows the Bankstown Cup (2540m) will attract a good field with its better than usual A$14,950 stake, but the up to rating 90 race will suit him perfectly.
Smith and Butt have done a sterling job since taking over Make Way last season. From 17 starts he has won eight times and along with three seconds, two thirds and a fourth has banked A$54,991 in stakes.
Make Way races at 9.30pm NZ time at Penrith on Thursday night.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
